. >> reporter: but when majority leader harry reid took him up on the offer today, mcconnell backed down. >> what we have here is a case i told everyone that we are willing to have that vote, up or down vote, and now the gop leader objects to his own idea. >> woodruff: meantime, republicans learned today the party was losing one of their most outspoken voices on fiscal issues. two-term south carolina senator jim demint announced that he will resign in january. to become the next president of the heritage foundation-- a conservative washington think tank. in a statement, demint said, a tea party favorite, demint had blasted the house republicans' proposal to raise rev earlier in the week. south carolina's other senator lindsey graham lamented the loss of his colleague and friend. >> he really did strongly and passionately advocate for his position and did it very effectively, jim made the republican party quite frankly look inward and do some self evaluation, conservatism is an asset not a liability. >> woodruff: the other side of capitol hill was largely quiet today, with the house not i